


Like Love Letters on my Skin

by sentimental_boy



Series: Matt Murdock imagines [53]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: F/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-24 03:22:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7491462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sentimental_boy/pseuds/sentimental_boy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt proposes</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Love Letters on my Skin

Ever since you were little, the first toy you picked up was yours. It didn’t matter if your parents pointed out that there was a hole in its side, or it's stitching was crooked, you didn’t care. It was yours now and the flaw wouldn't make you love it any less. It happened again when you got your first pet. You picked up the little kitten and he crawled into your arms, and you were in love. Then your mom pointed out that the top of one of his ears was missing. When she asked if you still wanted him, you held him closer and gasped at the question. When you got older, you started learning Sign Language and about deaf culture. When your aunt asked if you would ever date a deaf person you said yes without a second thought.

You never thought you’d actually have to deal with these questions about your significant other. After all, what were the odds of actually ending up with someone with a visible handicap? Now that you’re with Matt you figure people would have enough tact to at least keep whatever prejudices they have to themselves. 

It seems you had too much faith in humanity. At first, it was fine; people were accepting of Matt. But as you got more serious, the questions started rolling in. The one you get at the most alarming rate is: 'so how does that work in bed?' To which your response varies from: 'it’s none of your business' to ‘believe me, there are no problems there.' It depends on your mood. The other one is: 'are you sure sweetie?’ accompanied by a worried look. Matt frequently has to work you down from a righteous fury.

“Matt, I don’t understand how people can be so ignorant.” You tell him in one such instance.

“Before you met me, you didn’t ever wonder about how blind people do things?” He asks, taking your hand and running his fingers in random patterns across it.

“Maybe certain things, but I wasn’t an asshole about it. I looked it up on the internet like a normal person with tact.”

He laughs at that.

“Anyway, these questions are not only ignorant, but they’re straight up rude.”

“Straight up.” He nods, a little grin on his face.

“Matthew, I swear to all the Gods that I will punch you if you mock me again.”

He pulls you close and apologizes, but the smile doesn’t leave his face.

“How are you so calm about this? Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Some days it’s too much, yeah. Some days I just want to place an all too accurate uppercut to their jaw and see what happens. But most of the time, I just shrug and move on. I used to get angry every time I heard someone say something stupid, but it takes too much energy. Maybe they’ll change later, maybe they won’t, but it’s not my problem. It’s like when you hear someone say something misogynistic. When you were younger, it riled you up a lot more than it does now, right?”

“Yeah, I’ve learned to laugh at it.”

“Right, because you know they’re just some idiot. Yeah, it can make life difficult because that mentality is so prevalent in our society; but ultimately, it doesn’t matter because you know your value.”

“Yeah I guess." you sigh. "I haven’t been dealing with this my whole life, though. I haven’t gotten to that point yet." I’m sorry, having to work me down whenever someone says something probably doesn’t help.”

He shrugs. “I think it’s kind of cute.” He leans in and pecks you on the forehead.

-0-

And that’s when he knew. That moment, putting his arm around you and feeling you curl into his chest. It was something you’ve done countless times, but at that moment he knew he would never tire of the feeling you gave him. 

He’s been thinking about the perfect proposal for weeks now, but everything either seems too cheesy or just not right. All he knows so far is that he wants to do something that is special to the two of you as a couple. He isn’t sure that you’ll say yes, and he doesn’t want to put you on the spot, so a public proposal is out. Before he can think further, you’re plopping on the sofa next to him, after getting out of the shower.

“Hey, Matt.” You greet.

“Hey, sweetheart.” He mirrors your light tone, and takes your hand, beginning to absentmindedly trace patterns along it.

“What are you thinking about Matt?”

He shrugs.

“You had a pensive look on your face when I came out here. You were pensive Matt, talk to me.”

He knows he’s a terrible liar, especially when you’re involved, so he goes for a half truth. “I was just thinking about us.”

“What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“What?” He asks as he hears the words out loud. “Oh yeah, sorry. I just realized that that could be a concerning sentence with no context.” He leans in and kisses your forehead. “Everything’s fine.”

“Okay… what were you thinking about us, then?”

He tilts his head to the side, deciding how he wants to continue without giving away his proposal. Maybe this could be a way for him to feel you out. “I was just thinking about our future, how our relationship is unique.”

“Oh yeah? And what conclusions did you come to?”

“Well, not much yet; you kind of interrupted my train of thought.”

“Did I now? I can leave you to it if you’d rather.” You go to get up, but your attempts are thwarted when he wraps his arms around your waist. You make a half-hearted attempt to escape his grasp, but he only pulls you closer, attacking your neck with kisses. “Matt!”

He pulls back, placing a kiss on your temple and sliding you so you’re tucked against his side, with your legs strewn over his lap. “I’d much rather discuss our relationship with you than be lost in my own thoughts.”

“Good idea.”

“Well, it makes sense; given that you  _are_  half of said relationship.”

“If you insist.”

“I do.”

And there’s a lull in your banter, both of you taking a moment to think about what you appreciate about having the other. More specifically, narrowing down the many things you love about each other and being together. You’re the first one to break the silence.

“I love how you seek me out.” You start. “How you trace your hands along any inch of skin you can reach. How cute you are when the indistinct shapes turn into words; invisible love letters running along my skin.”

And that’s when it hits him; he knows how he’s going to propose. He gets lost in the planning for a moment. Maybe for a moment too long, because he can feel your gaze settling on him, waiting. “God, I don’t know where to start. I love you- being with you- so much. Just-” He trails off for a moment. “ _This_. This right here. Being with you, having you close, letting the rest of the world melt away for a while.” He shakes his head. “I’ll never get tired of this.”

You look up at the contented smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, as a similar one spreads across your own face. “Me either.”

Your response helped calm his nerves in the moment, but as he thought on it, he realized that you agreeing with his statement in passing isn’t the same as accepting a marriage proposal. But it also didn’t scare you off, so that’s a good sign. So, he knows how he’s going to propose, but he doesn’t know what he’s going to say. As a lawyer, his first instinct is to compile evidence and present his case with a counter argument prepared.

There are a few problems with this approach, though. There’s little to no tangible evidence of your love. While his love for you is as real and concrete as they come, it’s still love. It’s still an emotion and therefore, can’t be well examined with logic and reason. It just is. 

Matt is not just a lawyer, though; he’s also known to be a rational human being. Well, to be more accurate, he’s known for being a well-meaning,  _irrational_  human being, with rare intervals of sanity. But it works for him. And it can work now, as long as he can gather enough of his best qualities to deal with the situation at hand.

He’s a brave person. As much as he doesn’t dwell on that fact because  _it’s not enough_ ; it’s what he needs now. Because he’s scared that he’s about to screw everything up. You seem happy, it would be okay to leave it alone, and let your relationship continue on as it is. The thing is, though, that he can’t do that. He loves you too much, and he  _knows_  he’ll never find anyone he’d rather spend the rest of his days with.

-0-

Ever since your little conversation with Matt, he’s been quiet. You’re not sure what’s going on with him, but this isn’t the first time he’s retreated into himself. In fact, it happens on a regular basis. It can be difficult sometimes, but it comes down to the fact that you love him. He has his flaws, but they’re flaws you can live with, and that’s what you’ve been looking for your whole life. Someone who you love, and loves you, and whose flaws are compatible with yours. You just need to draw him out again; remind him that you love him and you’re here for him. You’ve tried, but it’s not working as well this time. This has happened before, though, so you know that you just have to drop the coddling and be blunt with him. That has always snapped him out of whatever self-destructive phase he’s gone through. So that’s that. The next time you get a hint that he’s trying to push people away again, you’re going to say something.

That night, though, Matt seems to have snapped out of whatever haze he’s been in. You’ve decided to get into bed early, and when Matt joins you, it’s with his arms around your waist, peppering kisses along your neck.

“Hey, Matt.” You trail off with a little smile. “You seem like you’re in a good mood.”

“I am.”

“Okay. What’s up Matt?”

He shrugs; that little grin ever present. “Nothing. I just love you, that’s all.”

“That’s all huh?”

He nods, sitting up and giving you a sweet peck on the lips before fitting himself to your back again.

“Okay.” You snuggle back against him.

After a minute you feel his hand running along your thigh a few times before he starts tracing patterns along it. It’s not until he’s on the third letter that you realize he’s spelling something out.

“This is what we’re doing? Don’t tell me or anything.” You tease.

You feel a puff of air on your neck as he laughs. “I knew you’d catch on.”

“Okay, so far You’ve spelled will.”

He nods and continues.

“You.” You tell him so he knows you’re still following. The next two letters he traces against your leg are M and A. You try to predict the word as he’s spelling. Ma... make? Will you make- no, the next letter is R. Mar… mark? You can’t think of how _that_ sentence would end. It doesn’t matter anyway because there’s another R . Marr- before you can even start thinking of possible words, you feel his finger running along your skin in the shape of a Y. Marry. Will you marry  _me_. He traces out the last two letters while you’re still stunned by what just happened. Matt proposed.  _That’s_  why he’s been acting so weird lately.

-0-

Matt heard your pulse speed up, so he knows you understood him, but you’re not responding. He wants to give you time to process it, but he’s so nervous. Should he have done it differently? Should he not have done it at all? Some would start getting impatient after five years, but maybe it’s too soon for you. Before his mind can runaway with him, he calls your name, trying to gauge your reaction.

You turn to face him, taking his face in your hands and kissing him. When you pull back, you see his worried expression highlighted from the billboard shining through the windows. “Hey, Matt. I love you. I’m in a committed relationship with you; so smooth out that brow for me.”

He lets out a breathy laugh, and his face relaxes. “So, what do you say?”

You bite your lip. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t- okay. That’s fine, just think about it.”

“Are you okay Matt?”

He nods. “Yeah. I mean, I was hoping you’d say yes, but I want you to be sure this is what you want.  _If_  you want it.”

“I love you, Matt; I can see spending the rest of my life with you. I’ve just never seen the point of marriage.”

He tilts his head to the side but lets you continue.

“I mean, a wedding is just a big party, followed by a vacation, celebrating your love. Don’t get me wrong, that’s great; but it doesn’t change anything. Are we just doing it because that’s the next step? Because it’s what people do? We already live together. It’s not like being married is any sort of guarantee that things are going to work out. I mean, if someone’s going to cheat, they’re going to do it whether they have a ring on or not. If a couple starts fighting too much or drifts apart, they’ll split up either way.” You look over at him and his furrowed brows. “I’m sorry, Matt. I don’t want to sound so pessimistic, but it’s true, isn’t it?”

“I guess all those things are true, but that’s not all marriage is. I mean, being married is different. No matter how much we say we’re committed to each other- being able to call you my _wife-_  that just feels so much more solid. What we have here, this is great and I love it; but in my mind, it’s always been practice for what’s to come. I know you don’t care much for social decorum, but it changes how other people see your relationship too. You’re right about it being a celebration of our love, but it’s more than that. It’s a declaration. When I say ‘my girlfriend’, it gives people an idea where we are, but it doesn’t provide enough information. The term ‘my wife’ tells everyone- including each other- that we’re in it for the long haul. Marriage validates and solidifies the relationship. I know things can still happen, but it takes a lot more for something to break the relationship.”

“You really want this; don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.” He gives you a tight-lipped smile.

“You make a good argument counselor.”

He leans in, stage whispering to you. “Well, it is my job.”

You pinch his side. "Smart ass."

“Hey!” He laughs; jumping away from your hands as you go for his other side. He takes your arms and wrestles them away from his sides, leaning over you to pepper kisses wherever he can reach.

You laugh as his stubble scratches your skin. “Stop it, Matt.” You tell him with no real conviction behind your words, but he listens all the same. Matt lays back down and you snuggle next to him. The two of you stay like that, enjoying the simplicity of laying in each other’s arms. “Matt?”

“Hmm?” He responds, running his hand along your side.

“You know, you totally skipped over the phase when I’ll get to call you my fiancé.”

You can see Matt deciphering each part of your sentence by each minute expression he makes along the way. It's not until a smile spreads across his face that you know he's realized what just happened. “You will get to call me your fiancé. Not you _would_ , you _will_. You’re saying yes?”

“Yes, Matt. I want you to be my husband.”

He kisses you; pulling you into his arms, and it feels like bliss.


End file.
